


Dark Magic Has Consequences

by alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice



Series: The Astronomer and the Mage [2]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Aaravos Being a Little Shit (The Dragon Prince), Angst, Dark Magic, Death, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Reminiscing, Sorry Not Sorry, Suffering, and I nearly cried, dying, please don't judge me too harshly, so hopefully you will cry too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25121101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice/pseuds/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice
Summary: A one-shot/bonus scene connected to The Astronomer and the Mage - takes place between chapters 2 and 3, and gives a glimpse into what Aaravos was up to during that interim
Relationships: Aaravos & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Claudia & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Soren & Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Series: The Astronomer and the Mage [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819726
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	Dark Magic Has Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> I was working on a scene where Aaravos is teaching the Astronomer a new spell, and I considered "Oh this spell would be excellent for hurting Viren, let's try it" and this is the result. Doesn't really have any bearing on what happens in The Astronomer and the Mage, but I thought I'd share it anyway. It gave me a chance to practice writing in third person and also take a break from the rest of the story.

Viren’s topple from the storm spire was hardly the farthest he had fallen. He was on top of the world: king of Katolis, a hero of legend leading humanity into a new era. The power he felt from the dragon prince was like no other, he had ultimate power in his grasp for one beautiful, shining moment.  
Then it all came crashing down, and that was not even the worst of it. No, then came the scramble to get it all back. He had a taste, and that one taste was enough to spark an addiction, obsession.  
When the elf emerged from the cocoon, he made a hundred assurances that things would turn out as they should. Aaravos never performed the dark magic himself, only instructed Viren on its use and execution. He supposed it was because Aaravos was connected to the primal sources, that he would not bother with dark magic when he could do so many other things. Aaravos certainly played the role of the devoted servant well, that Viren firmly believed that the real power was in his hands.  
Another stab of pain startled Viren from his musings. _I was such a fool._ Now he could see that the advanced magic Aaravos taught him had sapped away at _him,_ ate away at his bones and tissue. All that time spent covering his physical changes with glamor spells had managed to hide the damage to his body from himself until it was too late, to the point where just putting a little too much weight on his legs was enough to break them, leaving him stranded and in pain.  
It was such a brutal way to go, too, his own body ripping itself apart in a misguided attempt to survive something so unequivocally fatal.  
The High Mage Viren was dying, and he was dying alone.  
A winter storm raged outside. The hay in the abandoned barn and the tattered blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders did little to shield Viren from the piercing chill. He curled in on himself as another stabbing pain shot through him. Could his body just hurry this up and let him _die_ already?  
The winds began to quiet, less a roar and more an occasional whistle against the feeble structure. Thank the fates for that, at least. Maybe he would even make it until morning. It would be nice to see one last sunrise. Viren had always been an early riser, much to the chagrin of his best friend. He managed a smile thinking about the playful jabs Harrow would make at him. Once Harrow was king, there was no end to the “executing” jokes.  
_“I’ll have you executed if you wake me up this early again.”  
“I’ll just resurrect myself with dark magic to wake you up again.”  
“Wait… can you actually do that?”_  
Viren almost laughed, but the movement caused too much pain, so he settled for a sad smile, because, of course, Viren could not think of Harrow without the grief and shame attached to him.  
A loud thud reverberated through the room, the doors nearly swinging off the hinges as someone kicked them open.  
“Dad?”  
_By the gods, was that?_  
“Dad! Are you here?”  
It was Soren!  
Viren would have called out to him, but the best he could manage was a groan. It managed to get his son’s attention. “Claudia! You were right! He’s here!”  
Claudia followed soon after Soren, the two of them rushing to their father’s side. Soren lifted Viren’s shirt to check for wounds, and winced at the sight that greeted him, dark purple bruises and grey spider-webbed darkness seeming to eat away at him. “Oh… wow. That looks… really bad.”  
“Yeah, Soren, it is bad, but we can fix it,” Claudia replied with confidence. She dug into her bag, mixing a few ingredients together and sending up plumes of multicolored smoke in the process.  
Soren squeezed Viren’s hand. “Dad, I just… I wanted to say, I’m so so sorry.”  
Viren had not seen his son since Lux Aurea, but he heard that he killed an illusion of him. “It’s okay, son. I’m sorry too. I have missed you so much. You have no idea how happy I am to see you, both of you.”  
Claudia glared at the two of them. “We have time for all of this _later,_ Soren! Start a fire, get him warm!”  
“Guess the heartfelt reunion has to wait,” Soren joked, though the smile did not reach his eyes.  
Viren gave him a weak pat on the back of his hand. “We can talk later.”  
Once a steady fire was going, Claudia seemed to finish whatever concoction she was brewing. She held it up to Viren’s mouth, helping him drink it in small sips. It did not taste like much, more like well-water than anything else. “The pain should let up soon,” Claudia assured him.  
Sure enough, just as his talented, _brilliant_ daughter said, the pain began to ease away into a manageable ache. When it was clear that Viren could sit up properly, Soren wrapped him in a bracing hug, admittedly squeezing just a bit too tight for comfort. Viren did not mind though, too happy to have his son back by his side. A moment later, Claudia joined in the embrace, and Viren enjoyed the absolute perfection of the moment. His children were there, they were safe, and he would be okay. It was enough to make his eyes well up with tears of joy.  
“I have never been happier to see the two of you in my life, except maybe the days you were born. Those are definitely up there in terms of happiness.” Soren and Claudia laughed a little, mostly out of relief it seemed, releasing the pent-up stress. “I can’t believe you found me. I didn’t think anyone was even looking for me.”  
“Neither of us were really okay with just leaving you completely,” Soren said.  
“Yeah, we love you, Dad,” Claudia added.  
“And I love the both of you.”  
The moment was almost too good to be true. His children had returned, they forgave him. Hell, they were sorry for leaving him in the first place. Did he even deserve this? The only thing that would make it better would be-  
“You really won’t believe what’s happened, Dad,” Soren said, “Even Miss Smarty-pants Claudia doesn’t understand it.”  
“I never claimed to know everything, Soren. I just know way more than you,” Claudia teased with a silly face.  
“What wouldn’t I believe?” Viren asked.  
“King Harrow is alive! He came with us to find you, wanted to see you for himself. He’s lodging at the nearby town for now in disguise,” Claudia explained. “You’re uh… probably not up to walking anywhere yet. Um, Soren, maybe you could go get him! I’m sure Dad wants to see him, right?”  
Viren paled. He would _love_ to see him, but the question was if Harrow really wanted to see Viren. Surely he would, if he came all this way, but probably not because he missed his old friend. More likely, he would like to enact some sort of justice.  
“Why would he… He must _hate_ me.”  
Soren shrugged. “Actually, he was one of the first to defend you back home… even before me. He said whatever you had done, you were trying to help the kingdom, even if you royally screwed it up.”  
“He’s your best friend, Dad. He wants to help you.”  
Viren huffed. _That_ was too good to be true. Harrow must have heard about Viren’s attempts to get his sons out of the picture. He could be a patient, forgiving man, but that sort of crime was unforgivable. No, it could not be true, no matter how much he wished it were, and the realization made his heart sink like an anchor battered down by the waves.  
He looked up at the faces of his children one last time, savoring the illusion of their presence before speaking again. “I know this isn’t real.”  
“My apologies,” came the voice of Aaravos from the darkness, “I thought I would provide you a little comfort in your last moments.”  
The sight before him disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving only a small, smoldering fire in the same place as the comforting blaze. Aaravos stood on the other side, arms crossed and looking at Viren the way Viren would look at one of the insects he kept alive for rituals back in Katolis.  
“You almost had me, I’ll admit.” Viren scoffed. “But bringing Harrow back from the dead was just too far.”  
Aaravos approached Viren and crouched down. “I was just following the direction of what was in there,” he said, tapping Viren on the forehead. “It was what you wanted most. I have to say I was surprised; a mere month or so ago the vision would have been quite different.”  
“I suppose dying sets one’s priorities in a different direction.”  
“If you had succeeded in killing the dragon prince, then these rituals would not have killed you in the first place.”  
“ _You_ did this to me, you bastard.”  
Aaravos chuckled. “Is that really what you think, Viren? Did I ever force you to perform those rituals, to push away your loved ones, or betray your people?”  
“You certainly never thought to tell me of the consequences or the danger of these spells.”  
Aaravos shrugged. “You never asked, too preoccupied with the power that came from it. An experienced mage like yourself should have known that there is always a higher price to pay.”  
Some part of Viren knew that it was true, that he had a hand in bringing this on himself, but that did not stop him from lashing out. A new wave of pain hit, forcing him to curl in on himself. He was a proud man, but he begged, “Please, can’t you help me?”  
Aaravos patted him on the head, an almost sad smile on his face. “No, I cannot. You’re going to die with or without my intervention, but if it is any consolation, you played your part beautifully.”  
That only made him feel worse, having it confirmed he was a pawn all along. “Then can you at least make it quick?” he asked through clenched teeth.  
“I am afraid I cannot afford to have your blood on my hands directly, but it will be over soon.”  
Viren gritted his teeth, only managing to glare at the star mage.  
“I can see my company is unwelcome at this time, so I will leave you in peace. Goodbye, Viren. Our little partnership was fun while it lasted.” Aaravos stepped back from the human mage, took a flourishing bow, and vanished in a flash of light.  
Finally alone and no longer risking any further wound to his pride, Viren broke down into sobs. Seeing the image of his children had only made the loneliness of his situation more piercing.  
_Will they know what happened to me?_ Viren wondered. _Will they ever know how sorry I am?_  
Despite all his faults, Viren loved his children more than life itself. He hoped Soren and Claudia knew that, and he hoped that maybe, someday, they could forgive him and remember their father fondly. The tears flowed down Viren’s cheeks. Soren, sweet Soren, might never know what his father sacrificed, but maybe that was for the best that he was never burdened with that knowledge.  
Hell, his children could hate him until the end of time, at least they were still alive and healthy to do so.  
At least, he hoped that was the case.  
Who knew what the future held? What Aaravos’s plans were? Claudia was a powerful dark mage… what if Aaravos moved on to her to take her father’s place? Viren nearly screamed in agony at the mere thought of it, and the knowledge that he could do nothing to stop it.  
_No, she left for Katolis a few days ago. She should be there by now, and they’ll protect her. They have to protect her._  
Viren’s whole body shook with the weight of his weeping, each tremor sending new spikes of pain raging through his system. He grieved for the ones he loved, the opportunities he lost, for every damning failure that brought him so low.  
_I’m sorry, I’m so sorry._ He did not even know whom he was apologizing to. Everyone, perhaps. Soren, Claudia, Callum, Ezran, Opeli, Harrow, Sarai, Lissa, every one of the human kingdoms, every person he wronged and hurt and failed to help in the ways he promised.  
Was he truly remorseful, or was he simply feeling the pain and consequences from his actions? Who could say?  
But as Viren’s senses began to cut out, and darkness creeped in, he thought of the different theories of what happened after death. The best he could hope for was a second chance in another life, but at that point, he would settle for oblivion, and he hoped there was no justice system waiting for him on the other side.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, if you comment I will love you forever.  
> And link to my Tumblr! https://alls-fair-in-pride-and-prejudice.tumblr.com/


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